The present disclosure relates generally to wet and dry stick adhesives, articles including the same and methods of making and using the same.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes have been used for more than half a century for a variety of marking, holding, protecting, sealing and masking purposes. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes generally include a backing or substrate, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Many pressure-sensitive adhesives require no activation other than finger pressure, exert a strong holding force and can be removable from a smooth surface without leaving a residue.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives require a delicate balance of viscous and elastic properties that result in a four-fold balance of adhesion, cohesion, stretchiness and elasticity. Pressure-sensitive adhesives generally include a polymer that is either inherently tacky or can be tackified with the addition of tackifying resins. In many instances pressure sensitive adhesives can be coated in solvent or as water-based emulsions to reduce the material viscosity to a level that is easily applied to a substrate of choice.
Pressure sensitive adhesives that adhere both to wet and dry surfaces are difficult to produce due to, in part, the competing properties needed to adhere to both wet and dry surfaces. Previous attempts have included blending a hydrophilic pressure sensitive adhesive with a hydrophobic pressure sensitive adhesive. These adhesives provide dry adhesion to many surfaces but lack sufficient wet adhesion to many surfaces. In addition, the incompatibility of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials also increases the possibility of phase separation or component migration over time, leading to deterioration in adhesive performance.